Deputy PM: Developments in Turkey aimed at weakening government

The current developments in Turkey are aimed at weakening the government, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said in his statement on Dec.18, Turkish Anadolu agency reported.

If there are criminal groups within the government, they should be revealed, according to Arinc.

"Our duty is to reveal these groups and those who are responsible for these developments," the deputy prime minister said.

The wiretapping of the Turkish prime minister's telephone conversations will be carefully studied, Arinc added.

Turkish police have recently conducted special operations in Istanbul and Ankara, resulting in the arrest of 52 people that includes businessmen and sons of some ministers
The businessmen are accused of corruption, smuggling and selling drugs.

Among those detained were the sons of some ministers, who are the members of Turkey's ruling party - Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan's son, Salih Kaan Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammar Guler's son Baris Guler, Minister for Urban Development and Environment Erdogan Bayraktar's son Oguz Bayraktar. All three were detained on suspicion of corruption.

Mayor of Istanbul's Fatih Municipality, Mustafa Demir, director general of Turkish Halkbank Suleyman Aslan and famous entrepreneur Ali Agaoglu were arrested during the same operation by police. Searches were conducted at Halkbank's office.